The starting point of all BIGG success is a paradox. We’ve become convinced of this, based on studying the research but also from personal experience. We’d like to share what we learned with you today.

BIGG success starts at the intersection of gratitude and discontent.

These two attitudes, seemingly in conflict, work together to create the success you crave. Let’s look at them one at a time before we talk about how they partner up for your BIGG success.

The starting point of BIGG success is part gratitude

Robert Emmons is considered the world’s leading scientific authority on gratitude. He has found all kinds of amazing benefits of gratefulness. But we want to zero in on gratitude’s effect on achieving your goals.

His research shows that participants who habitually kept a gratitude journal made 20% more progress toward their goals than participants who didn’t. At the end of each week, the first group simply listed five things they were grateful for.

Yet this simple act – which can be done in less than five minutes – led to significant returns on the investment of time. Gratitude is the input. Progress is the outcome.

The starting point of BIGG success is also part discontent

Now, we hear you – you’re thinking, “I’d be happy too if I made 15% more a year!” But the study looked at people about 19 years after they reported a general feeling of happiness or unhappiness. First, they asked college students to rate their general state of happiness on a 10-point scale. Then – nearly two decades later – they compared incomes, based on level of happiness. The happiest were making 15% more than the unhappiest.

It just goes to show…happiness buys money!

Pretty amazing, huh? But the real surprise is what the researchers found next. They looked at people who were happy but not the happiest – i.e. they were above average on the happiness scale but not at the top. They made 6% more than the happiest! So it pays not to be too happy!

Let’s summarize what we’ve learned so far. First, habitually grateful people make 20% more progress toward their goals. Second, the happiest people make 15% more than the unhappiest people. But third, people who are happy but not content make yet 6% more!

The starting point of BIGG success is where these two attitudes meet

It begs the question: How can you be grateful and discontent at the same time? Surprisingly, it’s easier than you might think. Gratefulness forces you to break destructive thought patterns. You stop comparing yourself to others.

You recognize the help others have given you, so you realize you’re not alone in your journey.

You acknowledge the gifts you have been given, realizing the presence of a Higher Power at work in your life.

You focus on what you have, instead of what you don’t have.

As we mentioned earlier, the research on gratitude showed a number of benefits. Not surprisingly, one of them was increased optimism. Another was higher energy levels.

Which leads to a healthy discontent. You’re grateful for all you have. But you know you can accomplish more. You can help more people.